Fence with removable slats

ABSTRACT

This invention consists of a fence constructed of metal vertical posts with upper and lower bars connecting the posts. The bottom bar is a cup or a trough in which wooden fence slats sit. The top bar consists of a back that is permanently affixed to both posts and a removable or hinged front that opens to permit the slats to be inserted without nails or tools. This invention is novel in that it presents a wooden backyard fence with standard wooden slats that can be removed or replaced without tools. The homeowner may therefore vary the height, the slat width and the design of the slats without replacing the entire fence.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] None.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] None.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING

[0003] None

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Since time immemorial, property owners have sought to define thelimits of their estate by means of physical markings. As man moved tocities, this desire to define the limits of ownership was nonethelesscompelling, but as more people began to live in closer proximity, thedesire to express the limits of ownership expanded to meet other humanneeds. Fences in cities and towns now serve to create privacy, serve asprotection from intruders and to enclose pets. In many suburban areas ofthe United States almost every house has a fence.

[0005] The primary disadvantage of the classic “back-yard” wood fence isthat the wood deteriorates and it ultimately must be replaced in itsentirety. Of course metal fences are available, but metal fences areeither insubstantial (consider the chain link fence) or they afford nosignificant privacy (consider the iron spoke fence). This inventionprovides the homeowner with the best of both worlds: a metal (or otherdurable material) structure that contains wooden fence slats that doesnot have to be replaced in its entirety when the wood deteriorates. Thisinvention provides a true wooden fence that can be replaced with newwood without any tools whatever. Once the metallic structure isinstalled, a teenager can literally replace the entire fence in oneday—with the only cost being the cost of the wood. All that is necessaryto install the wood in this fence is to open or remove the upperhorizontal support member, place each successive slat in the cup of thelower horizontal support member and then close or replace the upperhorizontal support member.

[0006] Against this background, various applications have been proposedfor the construction of fences. These comprise three types of fences,picket fences, wire mesh fences and back-yard fences. See the following.

[0007] The Meglino U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,127 discloses a fenceconstruction wherein the slats are inserted vertically through a wiremesh. Also see the Meglino U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,929 which presents slatswith stops inserted into a wire mesh and Meglino U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,922disclosing another version of slats inserted in to a wire mesh.

[0008] The McClure U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,069 discloses a louvered fencewith horizontal angulated slats.

[0009] The Lancer, Sr. U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,289 discloses a fenceconstructed into a pattern of interlocking vertical slats.

[0010] The Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,2914 provides for fence slats tobe inserted into holes. See also a similar hole construction in thePettit U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,514.

[0011] The Schwartz U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,279 discloses an imitation woodpicket fence arrangement whereby the pickets are unshaped and held inplace by inserting the pickets over similarly formed protrusion in theupper transverse horizontal member.

[0012] The Barrett U.S. Pat. No. 2,573,239 discloses a fence arrangementwherein the pickets are sheet metal and held in place with horizontalstringers.

[0013] The Murray U.S. Pat. No. 2,685,432 discloses a fence arrangementswhereby metal pickets are inserted into the ground and held in place byan upper horizontal member to which they are fastened by the use offasteners.

[0014] The Roberts U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,967 discloses a fenceconstruction with vertical slats with notches cut in the edges. Thenotches correspond to punched tabs and the slats are bent and expand tosecure them within notches.

[0015] The Cofield U.S. Pat. No. 2,919,112 discloses a fence that iscollapsible and therefore moveable, with pickets that are permanentlyattached.

[0016] The Revell U.S. Pat. No. 3,212,754 discloses a fence structurethat utilizes grooves in the upper horizontal member that mate withcorrespondant structures on the pickets.

[0017] The Bos U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,752 discloses a guardrail fence foruse on a balcony with pickets or slats inserted through holes in theupper and lower horizontal members.

[0018] The Lustvee U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,948 discloses a fence whereby theslats or pickets are hung in a groove.

[0019] The Emmie U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,272 discloses a fence wherein theslats or pickets are connected by stringers and fit into grooves.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0020] This invention differs from the traditional wooden backyard fencein that the wooden slats are easily removable and held in place by meansof removable or hinged bar. This design differs from standard backyardfences in that the slats are not permanently affixed to the structure.The advantage of this design over the design of the standard backyardfence is that when the wooden slats deteriorate, then they may bereplaced without the use of any tools. In this way, a rotten fence canbe replaced for the cost of materials only—and in the space of a fewhours. Since the slats are not affixed to the fence structure, varyingsizes of slats may be used, so the homeowner may increase the height ofthe fence simply by inserted longer slats, or slats of different colors,or different colors on opposite sides, or slats of varying heights inorder to produce an artistic curving fence top.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

[0021] The drawing of this invention contains a front view only showingthree possible variations of slat sizes and designs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] This invention consists of a fence construction for use with apair of substantially vertical metal posts. The posts are laterallyspaced from each other and have at least two metal horizontal supportmembers affixed to each post. The fence construction includes aplurality of fence slats that are contained by the horizontal supportmembers. The upper horizontal support member consists of a back railpermanently affixed to the two posts and a removable front rail thatmounts directly in front of the back rail by means of two braces. Thefence slats are placed against the back rail and secured in place by theremovable front rail. The lower horizontal transverse support memberforms an extended “cup” with a bottom, a front side and a back side andis open on the top. The bottom portions of the fence slats rest in thecup of the lower horizontal transverse support member. At least one ofthe horizontal support members contains holes through which pins orscrews may secure the fence slats against removal. As many posts andconnecting horizontal members as is necessary may be installed.

What I claim for my invention is:
 1. A pair of laterally spacedsubstantially vertical metal posts having two horizontal support membersaffixed thereto. These horizontal support members contain a row of fenceslats held secure by means of a removable front rail holding the top ofthe slats against a fixed backing and a three sided base in which thebottom of each slat resides.
 2. A fence construction as in claim 1wherein the front side of the lower horizontal support member containsholes for the purpose of securing each fence slat with one or morescrews, pins or nails.
 3. A fence construction as in claim 1 wherein thefront portion of the upper horizontal support member contains holes forthe purpose of securing each fence slat with one or more screws, pins ornails.
 4. A fence construction as in claim 1 wherein the removable frontrail is affixed to a hinge permitting it to swing forward in order toprovide access to the placing of the slats.
 5. A fence construction asin claim 1 wherein the hinged or removable upper support member containssharp protrusions that pierce the slats and hold them in place.
 6. Afence construction as in claim 1 wherein the hinged or removable uppersupport member contains pins that fit into corresponding holes placed inthe slats.
 7. A fence construction as in claim 1 wherein the frontportion of the lower support member is hinged or removable and containssharp protrusions that pierce the slats and hold them in place.
 8. Afence construction as in claim 1 wherein front portion of the lowersupport member is hinged or removable and contains pins that fit intocorresponding holes placed in the slats.
 9. A fence construction as inclaim 1 where the front rail (either hinged or entirely removable) isplaced between the upper horizontal member and the lower horizontalmember.
 10. A fence construction as in claim 1 wherein one side of thelower horizontal support member is absent.
 11. A fence construction asin claim 1 wherein the posts and the horizontal members are constructedof something other than metal, preferably a durable andnon-disintegrating material.
 12. A fence construction as in claim 1wherein the slats are made of a material other than wood.
 13. A fenceconstruction as in claim 1 wherein the lower horizontal member containsholes in the bottom to permit water to drain.